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Syzygy
Syzygy was a mechanical man created by Tha'aron the wizard. He was referred to as an apparatoid, a portmanteau of "apparatus" and "humanoid." After retiring atop White Mesa, Tha'aron used sorcery on his household tools to make his chores easier to complete. He eventually realized that it was more economical to have a single multi-functional tool completing every task than having several enchanted tools competing for kitchen space. Over the years, Tha'aron said that he cast numerous spells on Syzygy, giving him the ability to speak, walk, perform tasks, etc. autonomously. He had imbued the apparatoid with so many spells that he doubted he would remember how to do it again, if prompted. Syzygy was constructed from household objects like broomsticks and chair legs. His design incorporated numerous mechanical moving parts, and he made a rhythmic tik-tik-tik sound when operating. Design and Abilities The tensile strength in Syzygy's axial assembly could exceed 50,000 pounds of pressure per square inch, giving him the ability to bend steel. Syzygy's eyes were not functional; he had a magical awareness of his surroundings whether or not they were within his field of vision. He could also detect things about people nearby, including their respiratory rate, heatbeat, and body temperature. Syzygy was designed to fold up into a lightweight, compact form for travel or storage. The Quest for the World-Breaker Syzygy was operating in Tha'aron's secluded cabin in the frozen tundra when they had unexpected visitors in the form of Brian Devonhyre, an old adventuring companion of Tha'aron's, and some of his newfound friends. The party had sought out Tha'aron in their search for the World-Breaker weapon, though Syzygy's role was largely limited to serving tea. Later, Syzygy accompanied the group to dig out Tha'aron's old wagon, but an avalanche buried the group in a heap of snow. Syzygy watched with fascination as the others came to grip with their mortality, taking advantage of the opportunity to ask them some basic questions about the humanoid experience. Syzygy was instructed to dig his way out after the others expired, find a neighboring settlement, and warn them of the dangers of the World-Breaker. After being freed from the snow by Forever the dragon, Syzygy accompanied the group to Torlynn to stop the invasion of goblins. Syzygy bravely placed himself between a marauding goblin and Brian Devonhyre, pleading with the creature to stop his assault. Syzygy was rewarded for his efforts when the goblin destroyed his mechanical body and kicked his head off into the distance. His head was recovered by Mirabel Miller, who took it with her and fled. The Curse of the Fate Shifter Mirabel eventually retrieved some of Syzygy's other pieces and attempted to rebuild him, though she lacked the skills to do it correctly. She had fashioned a new left arm and right leg for him, though they were not governed by magical influence like the rest of his original parts and they were difficult for him to manipulate effectively. At one point, Syzygy began traveling to repair shops, looking for replacement parts to complete his design. He visited the Skeleton's Key in the town of Guttersworth, and made arrangements with a shophand there for a large parts order, but the shop worker never arrived to fulfil the transaction. Syzygy accompanied Mirabel to the Dwarf fortress of Stonekeep so that she could offer her services to help them recapture the Ancient One, whom she had previously unleashed herself. Blinded by the superheated steam columns belched by the Dwarf machinery, Mirabel relied on Syzygy to led her by the hand. Alternate Reality After Four started using the fate-shifter, he traveled back to an earlier moment before Mirabel had unleashed the Ancient One. While Syzygy was largely unconcerned about world affairs, he requested that, should Four encounter an alternate Syzygy from yet another timeline, if Four would steal his arm and leg and deliver them to Syzygy so that he might finally be complete. After Four and Mirabel were captured by the Dwarves, they judged Syzygy to be little more than a wooden doll. This allowed Syzygy to kill an unsuspecting Dwarf, take his cloak, shorten his legs, and disguise himself in order to sneak over to the prison camp and free his human companions. He said he did this not so much due to a desire to help them, but rather a desire to see Four fulfill his promise to provide Syzygy with new body parts. While Four and Mirabel were recruited by Gerrick of Gonderick to work on board the Giant war machine, Syzygy was examined by the Dwarves and (since he had played dead) was eventually stuffed into a storage locker on board. Four and Mirabel later discovered him while searching the lockers for something to eat. Syzygy, who had a magical awareness of the goings-on within the Giant, theorized that if they were to climb to the top of the Giant and remove the Faerie giving telepathic commands to the other sub-sections, it would effectively destroy the command structure and the Giant's movements would cease. Trivia Syzygy's name is a real word, albeit an obscure one, that can refer to an alignment of the planets or, more generally, refers to completely separate things being used together for a single purpose. Category:Tools Category:Machines Category:Main Characters